NSW Liberal Leader Peter Debnam said today the Iemma Labor Government's Outer Suburban OSCAR train carriages are running late and over budget – and are still to carry a single passenger.
 

Just before the 2003 State Election, Carl Scully promised the trains "would be on the Coast by 2005."[1]

In September 2005, John Watkins said OSCAR carriages would be on the tracks "in the first six months of 2006".

"The public has a right to know the exact schedule for the revised operation of these carriages," Mr Debnam said.

 "This is yet another example of commuters and taxpayers being betrayed by this incompetent Labor Government," he said.

"Morris Iemma and Labor are simply unable to deliver critical infrastructure on time and on budget. Commuters won't be surprised the cost of this project has blown out.

"When originally announced in the 2002/03 State Budget it was to cost $135 million; last year the Audit Office put the cost at $172 million – a $37 million blowout.

"It’s the latest example of Labor’s inability to deliver major infrastructure projects.

"Labor needs to understand commuters and the wider public want a government working on improving rail for a full four-year term, not just in the lead up to the State election.